Study Finds AI 'Griefbots' Offer Comfort to the Bereaved
Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder presented a study on June 12 during the 2026 Designing Interactive Systems Conference, exploring the benefits of AI chatbots designed to mimic those who have passed away. Involving 16 participants dealing with grief, the study examined two chatbot types, one operating in first person and the other in third person. Each participant engaged with the bots for approximately 20 minutes via Zoom. While some inaccuracies were acknowledged, most responses were favorable, with participants noting the bots provided meaningful closure. Co-author Jack Manning raised concerns about potential emotional dependence on these technologies, stressing the need for further investigation.
Key facts
- Study published June 12, 2026 in Proceedings of the 2026 Designing Interactive Systems Conference
- 16 volunteers interacted with AI griefbots simulating deceased loved ones
- Two bot types: reincarnation (first person) and representation (third person)
- Interactions lasted 20 minutes over Zoom
- Reincarnation bot created immediacy and closeness; representation evoked memory and reflection
- Participants were 'largely positive' despite occasional inaccuracies
- Concerns included emotional dependency and complicating grief
- Commercial griefbots exist from Project December, Re;memory, and Séance A.I.
Entities
Institutions
- University of Colorado Boulder
- Proceedings of the 2026 Designing Interactive Systems Conference
- Project December
- Re;memory
- Séance A.I.
- University of Cambridge
- Osnabrück University
- Science News
- Nature
Locations
- Longmont
- Colorado
- United States
- Germany